Vulcanizer



Jan. 29, 1935. c lvERsQN 1,989,364

VULCANIZER Original Filed June 3, 1932 7 SheetsSheet l BY QQ Q ATTO RN EYS Jan. 29, 1935. c v soN 1,989,364

VULCANI ZER Original Filed June 5, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 lN-VENTOR 6' A 7-0 IVERSON.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1935. C.IVERSOND 1,989,364

VULCANI ZER Original Filed June 5, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 CA TO I 1/6/85 0/\/ ATTORNEYS C. IVERSON I Jan. 29, 1935.

VULCANI ZER Original Filed June 3, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CA 70 IVfZSO/V. 11%,, v

ATTORNEYfn Jan. 29, c VE N 1,989,364

VULC ANI ZER Original Filed June 3, 1932 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 CA T0 IVERSO/V BY 8M ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1935. c. IVERSON 1,989,364

VULCANIZER Original Filed June 3, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1935. c. IVERSON 1,989,364

VULCANIZER Original Filed June 3, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR 6.4 70 Inf/as 0M ATTO RN EYf! Patented Jan. 29, 1935 Cato Iverson, Akron, Ohio; assignorto National Rubber Machinery Company, Akron, hio, a

' corporation" of Ohio flipp taijmmiim' aisisaseriai 'no..c15,169-

I 1 Renewed August 18, 193$ v vantageous and desirable, but this type "of vul--.

canizer precludes the desirable complete-rimming of a tire 'before the molds completely close, and frequently results in 'displa'c'mentofa tire in the mold during the closing operation. In vulcanizers wherein the mold 'sections'openand close-in an axiardirection' the rim'ming ope'ration-is'simplified, but the advantageous"progressive separation of mold and work, in' the vulcanizerQis sacrificed. V g The chief objects'of this invention are to pro vide a watchcase vulcanizer that will include the;

advantageous features of bqth types of vulcanizers mentioned; to. provide fiinproved tire-rimming mechanism such a. vulcanizer; and; to provide a vulcanizer thatmay be adjusted to altergthe, normal plane of the workto suit the requirements of various tire-manufacturing concerns, 2 More specifically the inventionaims to provide a vulcanizer that will open withflalfhingingg action. of, the respective mold 'sectionsnndclosewith a relative movement of themold 'sectionsin-anaxial direction while disposed in parallel planes:v and to provide mechanism for completely rimming a tire in the vulcanizer before either mold section "comes into contact with the the. 7 Other objects include uniformity of vulcanization in the work: and the prevention of damaged or blemished work due" to movement thereof after itiha's been engaged by hot mold sections. Of the accompanying drawings, g

t Figure 1 isafront elevation of a vulcanizer embodying the invention, in its preferred form 5 the vulcanizer being. in nosed, or vulcanizing position;

Figure 2 is aside elevation thereof, and the work therein, from the right of l igureL-parts being broken away and in section; g

- Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the vulopening of the:

- (o1. is-m' canizer in fully open positiomandthe work there-' in,: parts being broken away andin section;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the vulcanizer.

and the .work therein as they appear during the closing movement of the-vulcanizer; parts being; 5.

broken awayan'din section;.,---- 1 Figure 5"is a; section on the 1ine.5 =-5 of Figure 2;; Figure Sis a section on the-line 6--.6"of- FigureZ', one larger sca1e;1and 2' Figure-'7 is a sectional detail view of the powermeans foroperating thevulcanizer. 1 Referring-rte the drawings, the vulcanizer. is. supported upon four -base-pedestals, namely,;10, l0 atjthe front and-11;, 11 at the rear, the pedestals. being laterally braced and connected 'toieach other. by:.tie-bars .12,'.' 12; and the pedestals 11 being similarly connected-Shy tie-bars 13; 13. ::The respective base-pedestalsv 101arel formed with. a slightlyarcuate' series of three apertures 115,115,- the" apertures-of one pedestal being axially-aligned with those of the other. 1. The respective sbase-i pedestals :11 are formed: with a similar but fre= versely arcuate series ofseve'nxapertures 16,: 16. A bar 18 having itstrespective-end portions ex-' tended'through'apertures 15 issup'ported'by the base-pedestals loyand a bar '19 .is similarly supported in apertures 160i the base-pedestals '11. The bars 18, 19 provide a four-point support for the -entire operative mechanism of the vulcanizer, the arrangement "being such that the angularity of said mechanism maybe selectively. altered so that the plane of the-work, and the parting plane. of the mold sections mayibe variedfrom horizontal" to an inclination of substantially '30 degrees with the low point at the-front of thevulcanizer. l The drawings show the work in horizontalposition with the bar 18 in the uppermost'apertures 15 and the bar 19 in the lowermost apertures "16. When the bar 18 is-iri the" lowermost apertures15 and the bar lilis in the uppermost'ape'rtures 16 the work will be disposed at "an angle of deareas to: the horizontal. The other apertures 15, 16 permit adjustments of the vulcanizer to other angles up to 30 degrees. Thus the specifications of various tire manufactures asto angularity of the vulcanizer are met in a single apparatus; and flexibility is provided so 'thattheangularity is easily changed if and when desired. 1

--Mounted upon thebars 18,19 is the lower nor-- 5 mallystationary' platen 20 of the vulcanizer, said platen being: formed with a pair of forwardly-- extending arms- 21,- 21 that-engage the bar 18 adjacent the respective ends thereof. 1 Secured to the rear side of; the platenbybolts 22, 22am 5';

bar

casing, said core being supplied with heated pres-- sure fluid in the usual manner (not shown). Steam chambers in the respective mold sections are shown at 30, 30, and steam may be supplied to said chambers through-any suitableor usual connections (not shown). Preferably, a sheet of heat-insulating material 31, such as asbestos, is disposed between the mold section'2 and the platen 20, and the mold section is secured to the latter by bolts 32 or other suitable means.

The upper mold section 26 is mounted upon theunder side of an upper, movable platen 35, therebeing a layer of heat-insulating material 36 between the mold section and-platen,- and the mold section being securedto the platen by bolts 37 or'the like. Theplaten 35 is formed with a pair of angular, rearwardly extending arms 38, 38 that are-pivotally mountedupon ahing'e-pin 39, the respective end portions "of the latter being formed with oppositely disposed flat surfaces 40, 40 (see Figure 6) and slidablyand non-rotatively mounted for lateral movement in respective vertical slots '41, 41 formed in the brackets 23. Setscrews 42, 42 extending into the slots 41 at the top and bottom thereof are provided for adjust ably limiting the vertical movemen't of the hingepin 39 in the said' slots. In the normal closed or operative position of the vulcanizer, the hingepin 39 is'at the bottom of the slots 41, wherein it is in the parting plane or the mold sections.

For moving the hinge'-pin.,39 upwardly in the slots 41-, upon occasionas subsequently will be explained, there is provided a pair of fluid pressure operated cylinders 44, 44, Figure 5, that engage the respectiveen'd portions of said hingepin. The cylinders 44 arearranged to operate concurrently, and are identical inconstruction so that a description of one of them will .be sufilcient.. a i H As is most clearly shown in Figure 6, each fluid pressure cylinder-'44 is-mounted upon a bracket 23 below the hinge-pin 39 and comprises a piston 45, and arelatively large piston rod 46that ex-v tends upwardly and has its-upper'end pivotally connected toa trunnion 47 formed eccentrically on the end of the hinge-pin. Fluid inlet and outlet pipes 48, 49 communicate with the cylinder chamber at its upper and lower ends respectively. Preferably, an elastic fluid such as air is used, and line pressure is maintained constantly in the pipe 48, on the upper side'of the piston 45. Line pressure" is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder, uponjoccasion, through the pipe 49, :and because of the differential areas of the upper and lower sides of the piston, by reason, of the large piston rod on the upper side thereof, the'piston is moved upwardly, the'pressure fluid the upper end of the cylinder being forced back in the line through the pipe '48.

The raising and lowering. ofthe upper platen- 35, to open and close the mold, is'effe'cted by mechanism'comprising pairsof links 51, 52 -piv'- otally .connectediat their upper ends to opposite sides of said upperplaten, and connected at their lower ends to power mechanismpresently to be described.- The pivotal connections atthe upper 'U shaped toggle link 55, the latter being formed with 'respective legs 55*, 55 that are rearwardly bent in their middle portions, the free ends of said legs being pivotally connected at 56, 56 to respective lugs 57 formed on the bottom of the lower platen 20 at opposite sides thereof. The connections between the links 52 and the toggle "link '55 arelost motion connections, there being a shaft 58 carried by the toggle link, the end portions of the said shaft being disposed in respective slots 59 formed in the end portions of the links 52w The lower ends of the front links 51 are pivotally connected'to a toggle link 61 that is similar to the togglelink 55 except-that itsrespective legs 61 61 are forwardly bowed. The free ends of the legs fil -are pivotally connected at 62; 62 to respective lugs 63 formed on the bottom of the lower platen 20. The body portion' of the toggle link' 616carries a shaft 64rto the end portions of which the respective links 51 are connected. The said body' portion of the toggle link is suitably cut away in its medial portion to permit a crosshead 65 to be mounted upon the shaft 64, and it is to said'cross-head that power means is connected for operating the toggle link. The toggle links 55, 61 are arranged to act in unison by means of'connecting links 66, 66 that connect the adjacent endportionsof the shaftsi58, 64 to each other.

Power means. for opening and closing the vulcanizercomprises a reversible motor '70 that is mounted upon a housing structure 71 that is pivotally mounted on pivot pins '72, 72 upon and between the brackets 23. As is most clearly shown in Figure 7, the shaft 73 of the motor'IO is provided with a pinion 74 that is meshed with a gear 75 that is keyed onanelongate nut '76 that is journaled for'rotary movement. in bearings 77, 7'7 in the housing 71.. ,The nut,76 is. formed with female screw-threads '78 for engagement with the threaded end portion 79 of an operating rod 79, the otherendof said rod being connected to thecross-head 65., The arrangement is such that driving of the motor '70 ineither direction will move the operating rod '79 longitudinally and thus swing the toggle links 55, 61.

The starting of the'motor '70 is controlled by a reversing switch 80 that in oneposition causes the motor to rotate in one directionand in another position causes it to rotate inthe opposite direction. Associated withthe mechanism for operating the switch 80 is mechanism controlling the; operation of the fluid pressure. cylinders 44, the arrangement being such that the motor is started and the cylinders actuatedin determinate timed relation to each other. I v

The reversing switch 80 is mounted upon the outer face of one of the pedestals 10, and is op erated by a lever 81 that ismounted upon the rear end of a shaft 82 that is journaled in a suitable bracket 83 alsomounted upon the pedestal 10. A tension spring (not shown) connected to the lever 81, within the switch box 80, normally urges the lever 81' toward the position shown in Figure 3. Mounted upon the front end bearings. formed on-the bracket 83. An operat-' ing lever. 89 is mounted centrally upon the countershaft 88.

- -The airvalve is a two-way valve. to the inlet port ofwhich is connected apipe 91 that extends to a source of-pressurefluid (not shown), which source may be and preferably is the same as that for the pipes 48 of the cylinders 44, the pressure inpipes 48, 91 beingthe same; The outlet port of valve v85 connects with a pipe 92 that communicates with both pipes'49 that extend to the lower end of each cylinder 4. The air valve 8615 a bleeder valve. of smaller j capacity thanthe pipe 92 towhich one port of. the valve is connected by pipe 93, the other p rt oithe valve 86 being an exhaust port. The arrangement is such that when one of the valves 85, 86 is open, the other is. closed In Figure 3 the valve 86 is: open and thevalve 85 is-closed. v H Inaddition to the reversing switch 80, the. motor control includes limit switches 95, 96 which are arranged to disconnect power to the motor '70 at determinate pointsin the opening and-closing movements of the vulcanizer. The switches 95, 96 are mounted upon a quadrant 97 that is fixedly secured, below the lower platen 20, to the hinge-pin 62 and elsewhere (not shown). Each limit switch is provided with an operating pushrod 98 that is normally urged outwardly by a suitable spring (not shown) within the switch.

box. The outer ends of the push-rods 98 are engaged by respective levers 99 that are pivotally mounted upon pivotpins 100 that are mounted in respective slots 101,101 in the quadrant for adjusting the operative positions of said lovers.-

The free ends of the levers 99 are connected to respective tension springs 102 which hold the levers against the push-rods 98, A portion of each lever 99 extends into the orbit of'a cam-roller 103 that is mounted upon a bracket 104 that is carried by the-toggle link 61.11 Thearrangement is Such that one of the limitlfswitche'sl95, 96 is actuated by thelcam roller 103 to stop the motQl .70 when the upper platen 35 reaches a fully raised or fully lowered position.

Asis .most clearly shownin Figures 3 and 4, the molding cavity 2'? in the respective mold sections 25, 26 includesseats 106, 106 in said'sections for respective annular beadeclamping rings-107, 108 that are utilized-.for rimming theltire 28,

Both bead clamping rings comprisea plurality of. spokes, and an axial hub portion as shown, said spokes'and hub portions being disposedwithin the axial recesses of the respective annular mold sections 25, 26.. Each spoke structure is oppositely dished or frusto-conical in form so that the hub portions are somewhat separated fromeachother when the bead rings are in clamping en gagement with the beads ofa tire casing as-is shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The upper bead clamping ring 108 is mounted upon the lower end of a spindle 110 that extends axially through the hub of said head ring,-.and extends. upwardly through the upper platen 35, said spindle having a slotted plate or cap 111 Socured to its upper end, exteriorly of the upper platen. A pin 112 in the top of the platen 35' engages the slot in the plate 111, the arrangement being such as to prevent angular movement of: the spindle 110', the latterbeing'ot such length as to .bei'capableof some longitudinal movement. The spindle 1101s. embraced. by a.

short sleeve 113.that rests upon the hubofthe bead ring .108'and is slidablein the platen structure, and-ahelical compression spring 114 is mounted upon the spindle between the sleeve 1l3-and the upper wall of the upperplaten. The.

arrangement is such thatrthe bead ring 108 nor.-

mally stands in 1 spaced.relation-axiallyof its seat 106 .inthe "mold section. 26 when thevulcanizer is partly or completely open, as is shown in Figures .3 and 4, yetmay' he -forced into said seat, against the pressure of the'spring 114; by the closing of the vulcanizer, as is shown in Figure 2.

The lower bead ring 107 is mounted upon. the upper end portion of an axial spindle .117 thatextends axially .throughthelowerplaten 20 and projects from the bottomuthereofwhere it is pivotally connected to the intermediate portion of a lever 118 that is fulcrumed :at one end upon.

the supporting bar 18. The free end oi-the lever 118 is provided with aroller 119 that is positioned in the orbit of an abutment zmembenl20 that is adjustably mounted upon the toggle link 61. The

spindle 117 slides freely J-ina sleeve 122 that ismounted thereon, andsaid sleeve slides freely in a bushing 123 mounted in an axial aperture in the upper wall of the lower platen .20, said sleeve being formed at'its lower end with a radial flange 124 adaptedto abut thebushing 123. to limit the upward movement of said sleeve. The under side of the sleeve 122 is formed with acounterbore to.

receive the upper end of a compression spring 125 that is mounted upon thespindle 1 1'7- betweensaid.

describedtstarting wlth the .vulcanizerin the closed position shown .inzFigure 2, inwhich po-'.

sition the operating lever 89 is down, the valve 85 is open and the valve 86 is closed. This means that there is fluid pressure *in the lower end of the latter-rotating in the proper direction to feed the operating rod 79v re'arwardly. This' movement of the operating rod moves the toggle links 55, 61 in unison about their pivots 56, 62 whereby upward pressure is applied to the movable platen 35 throughthelinks 51, the links 52 being inoperative because of their lost motion connection with toggle link 55,. The arrangement is such that the movableplaten .35 rises. with" a hinging or pivotal movement; about hinge pin 39, the latter remaining 'stationaryat the lowertend of slot 41 by reason of the fluidfpressure con stantly in theupper end of cylinder 44. As the upper platen rises in the manner described, the upper'mold section '26 is stripped from the tire.28 progressively from the. front toward the read thereof, it being commonpractise to soap or otherwise lubricate the upper mold section -so thatthe work will have greaterxad-z hesion to the lower mold section. 'As the upper platen rises and the mold section is stripped from the tire, the compress'ionspring 114 forces the.

upper bead ring 108 axiallyout of its seat 106 so that it assumes the position shown in Figure 3,'in spaced relation to the. upper mold section 26. Upon removal of the upper mold sectionv from the tire, the pressure of the spring 125: usually is sufficient to lift the lower. bead ring 107 from its seat toxabout the height shown in Figure 4,.

which is the extent permitted by the sleeve 122, and thus to strip the tire from the lower mold section 25. However, near the completion of the opening movement of the vulcanizer the abutment 120 on the toggle link 61 engages the roller 119 on the end of lever 118 and lifts the spindle 117 and bead ring 107 to the extreme elevated position shown in Figure 3. :As the mechanism ap-- proaches the positionshownin Figure 3, thecam roller 103 on the toggle link 61 engagesjand moves the lever arm 99 that controls limit switch 96, thus operating the latter and stopping the motor drive.

In the extreme elevated position, of the bead ring 107 the tire 28 is clear. of the lower moldsection 25 so that the tire. is. easily lifted'ofithe bead ring and replaced by an unvulcanized tire. After fluid pressure connection is made with the expansible core in the imvulcanizedtire, the vulcanizer is ready for closing. I Closing of the vulcanizer is effected by moving the-operating lever 89 downwardly, which opera, tion throws the reversing switch 80 to drive the motor in the opposite direction from thetdirecwardly, pressure fluid. the upper ends of the, cylinders being forced back into the pipe-lines 4 8 This movement of the piston rods46 carries the hinge pin 39 to the upper ends of slots 41, causing the upper platen 35 and mold section 26 to assume a parallel, axially aligned relationship to the lower platen 20 and mold-section 25 respectively. In assuming the parallel position described,

the-upper platen pivots around the forward shaft 53 sothat rear shaft is elevated, andthe link 52 raised to take up the lost motion therein so that both links 51, 52 cooperate in forcing the'movable' platen downwardly.

The forward movement of the operating rod '79 swings the toggle links 55, 61 downwardly about their pivots, and thus draws both links 51, 52'

downwardly with a parallel motion against the fluid pressure in the lower end of cylinder 44, the pressure fluid in the latter being thereby forced back into the pipe line 91, but still exerting pres-- sure on the piston of said cylinder so that the pivot pin 39 is supported and the upper platenmaintained in horizontal position.

spindle 117, andithe bead ring 2107 with a tire I thereonv to move downwardly substantially to the position shown in Figure-.4-, in. which position they .are supported .out of engagement with the lower mold section 25, by the spring 125. As the movable plate'n'reac'hes the position shown in Figure; 4,-the tire 28 is engaged by the upper bead ringz108 and completely rimmed throughout its circumference before any part of the tire touches either mold section. Thus any relative movement of thertire occasionedzby the rimming operation will notresultin blemishes such as occurwhen a tire-ism'oved'relatively of ahot mold section aftervbeing'incontact therewith. I

In the 'final closing. movement of the vulcanizer, after the bead rings 107; 108' are brought together, said bead rings moveinto their respective seats 106 against the pressure of the compression springs 114,: 125. Just before the vulcanizer reaches fully closed position the cam roller 103 engages the lever 99'and'operates the limit switch 95 tostop the drive of-the motor 70. The arrangement'is such that the mot'or isfully' stopped as thevulc'anizer reaches fully'closed position, the

toggle structure being on dead center so as effectively to{ resist the-fluid pressure of the expan'sible core 29in the'tire 28." Fluid pressure may be admitted-to saidexpansible core as soon as the vulcanizer is closed. This completes one cycle of operations of the vulcanizer, which may be repeated as? described a'ssoon as thetire 28 is vulcanized. 1 Y I The vulcanizer is especially useful for vulcanizing pneu'matictire casings having white side walls, since-these'tire's are easily blemished in ordinary vulcanizers. Y The invention also results in; uniformity "of vulcanization throughout the work, and achievesfthe other advantages set forth in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be res'orted to without departing from the spirit or the invention or the scope of the appended claim's.

What is claimed is: v 1. In avulcanizer the combination of a pair of mating mold'sections, a hinge for one of said sections, means for moving said section on said hinge to open the mold, jmean sfl f fo r,inoving the hinge to bring the hinged section intoparallelism with the other section, and means for bringing the mold sections together to close the mold while they em i i ar e ma 21111 a vulcanizer'the combinationof a stationary and' a movable-mold s'ection,-'a hinge for the movable fm'old section, means for shifting the position of said hinge, and a pair of t ggle mechanisms associated with said"'movable mold section, one of said-toggle'mechanisms being operative only in the opening of the mold, and both being operative in the closing thereof.

3; A combination asdefined' in claim, 2 includ-- ing power means for operating the toggle mechanisms, and means for operating said power means and the-hinge shifting means in timed relation to each other. v p

-'4."-In a vulcanizer, the combination of a stationary and a movable mold section, a hinge upon which the movable mold section is pivotally mounted, means for shifting the position of said hinge, and a pair of toggle "mechanisms for moving the movable section to open and close the mold, oneof said toggle mechanisms including a st motion connection whereby said mechanism is inoperative in the opening of the mold.

5'. In a vulcanizer,-the combination of a stationary moldsection and a movable mold section,

a hinge pin about which the movable section is adapted to pivot, fluid pressure means for shifting the position of said hinge pin, when the vulcanizer is open, a toggle mechanism for swinging the movable section about said hinge pin to open the vulcanizer, and an additional toggle mechanism cooperating with the first-mentioned toggle mechanism for closing the vulcanizer while maintaining the mold sections in parallelism.

6. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a fixed platen and a movable platen, respective mating mold sections secured to said platens, a hingepin upon which the movable platen pivots, fluid pressure cylinders connected to the respective end portions of the hinge-pin for altering the position thereof, when the vulcanizer is open, toggle mechanism adapted to open the vulcanizer by a hinging movement of the movable platen and to close the vulcanizer while the platens are in parallelism, power means for operating the toggle mechanism, and control means for concurrently activating the power means to close the press and for so charging the fluid pressure cylinders as to shift the hinge-pin to change the angular position of the platens to one of parallelism.

'7. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a tire moldcomprising a pair of mating tire-molding sections, means for opening the mold with a hinging movement of the sections and for closing the mold by bringing the sections together in parallelism, bead-engaging rings seating in the respective mold sections, and supporting means for said bead rings adapted to effect complete rimming of a tire before the latter is engaged by either mold section in the closing of the mold.

8. In a vulcanizer, the combination of an annular tire mold comprising a pair of mating mold sections, means for moving the sections from and toward each other to open and close the mold, bead rings seating in concentric grooves in the respective sections, axial spindles upon which said bead rings are mounted, and yielding means on said spindles normally urging the bead rings out of their seats when the mold is open.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8 including a lever connected to one of the bead ring spindles, and means for moving the lever to move the bead ring beyond the point that it is normally moved by the yielding means in the opening of the mold.

10. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a stationary platen and a movable platen, respective annular tire mold sections mounted upon said platens, toggle mechanism for raising and lowering the movable platen, tire-bead rings seating in concentric grooves in the respective mold sections, axial spindles upon which said bead rings are mounted, yielding means ,normally urging the bead rings away from their seats when the vulcanizer is open, and a lever connected to one of said spindles for moving its bead ring out of its seat beyond the point to which it is moved by the yielding means, said lever being operated by the toggle mechanism. a

11. In a vulcanizer for forming and vulcanizing rubber articles, the combination of a pair of mating, relatively movable mold sections, and means for moving said sections toward each other substantially in parallelismand for angularly moving the sections away from each other, whereby the said sections will concurrently engage all about the work to position it properly for forming upon the closing of the mold, and will separate progressively from the work by relative angular movement upon opening of the mold.

12. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a pair of relatively movable, mating mold sections, means for parting the mold by relative angular movement of said sections about an axis lying in the parting plane of the sections to effect progressive separation from the work, and means for closing the mold by relative axial movement of the sections while they are in parallelism.

13. In a vulcanizer, the combination of a pair of relatively movable, mating mold sections, means for parting the mold by relative angular movement of the sections about an axis lying in the parting plane of the mold, means for moving said sections into co-axial parallelism, and means for bringing the mold sections together to close the mold while they are in parallelism.

CATOIVERSON. 

